


the silent snow

by fanfoolishness (LoonyLupin), LoonyLupin



Series: Starshine Over Beach City: Moments from Steven Universe [20]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Snow Day, Steven Universe Future, Steven Universe Future Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:00:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21897832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/fanfoolishness, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoonyLupin/pseuds/LoonyLupin
Summary: Steven takes a moment, all too brief, to himself. Set duringSnow Day.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Series: Starshine Over Beach City: Moments from Steven Universe [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1523993
Comments: 11
Kudos: 200





	the silent snow

The Dondai’s old, but the heater works well, all the better for Pearl’s help on the engine. It doesn’t handle great in the snow, though, and it takes him longer than usual to get home. **  
**

Steven’s careful with the car. Doesn’t want to push it. He’s got too much to do to let a car wreck slow him down, so he urges it along the beach methodically, the tires slipping only a little on the snow and sand. He pulls the car into his usual spot by the temple, turning off the headlights and wipers but not the ignition, same as every night.

His hands uncurl from around the steering wheel, sliding down to land on his thighs. He lets them rest empty and open for a moment.

The music around him is warm and bright and happy, but it blurs, chords and rhythm only a general impression. He leans back in his seat, letting out a long breath, and tries to focus on fixing the way his shoulders feel so tight. The snow falls before him, huge white flakes dotting the windshield against the black of the night.

How long has it been since he’s made a snowman? He doesn’t remember. Last winter he’d been back and forth throughout the galaxy; the winter before, mostly on Homeworld. This is the first snow of the season, but his tomorrow’s packed. No room for snowmen in the schedule.

Steven checks his phone. A few messages from Connie complaining about her exams, and he smiles in the blue light of the screen. No matter what, seeing her name always brightens his mood, even if it’s been too long since they’ve seen each other. Her college prep stuff sounds like a nightmare, one he hopes ends soon.

 _Miss you! <3 That sucks,_ he sends back. 

_I know what you mean, I’m exhausted,_ he types but deletes. 

An alert pops up, another change to his schedule tomorrow. He winces and stuffs the phone back into his pocket. He’ll go over it tonight when he’s trying to fall asleep. There’ll be plenty of time then. Too much, probably.

He considers, trying to remember what he has in the kitchen. Does he still have some peppermint tea? He isn’t sure if it really helps him sleep, but he drinks it every night anyway, and if it helps even a little, he’ll take it.

The music blares on, still cheery. He turns it up until the bass throbs in his chest, until his breath buzzes and his ears pound. He likes the feeling of the music ringing through him, feeling realer than blood or bone.

He should really go inside. The Gems are probably wondering where he’s at, given the weather, even though they know how busy he’s been. He sighs. The sound vanishes into the music. 

He feels guilty at how he snapped at them this morning. He does. He should probably apologize. But that’s just like them, isn’t it, always seeing him as some little kid, someone to be babysat. Couldn’t they have done this stuff back when he was twelve and always trying to tag along with them? Why are they acting like this _now_ , when he’s finally figured things out on his own?

He hums vaguely along with the song, not bothering to get the melody right. He used to play this on the guitar and the ukulele sometimes. It’s been… a while.

Steven grimaces. He turns down the music a little and rubs at the spot between his eyes until it starts to relax. Reluctantly he reaches out, grabbing the scarves from the passenger seat and roping them around his neck. He knows Pearl will ask about them if he forgets.

He’s putting off going in, he knows it. The silent snow piles up on the windshield without the wipers on. The world outside looks ghostly and weird, moonlight glancing off white-capped shapes in the dark.

Steven swallows. One more deep breath. He turns off the car and the lack of the music leaves a sudden void, a hollow in his chest.

“You can do it,” he says softly. He’s too tired to smile. He steps outside, footsteps muffled in the new snow, and the only sound in his ears is waves upon the shore.

**Author's Note:**

> This episode was so good! I laughed but teared up a little, too. Poor Steven. ;_;


End file.
